BLUE-MOUNTAIN WARBLER.

[Plate XLIV.—Fig. 2. Male.]

THIS new species was first discovered near that celebrated ridge, or range of mountains, with whose name I have honoured it. Several of these solitary Warblers remain yet to be gleaned up from the airy heights of our alpine scenery, as well as from the recesses of our swamps and morasses, whither it is my design to pursue them by every opportunity. Some of these I believe rarely or never visit the lower cultivated parts of the country; but seem only at home among the glooms and silence of those dreary solitudes. The present species seems of that family, or subdivision of the Warblers, that approach the Flycatcher, darting after flies wherever they see them, and also searching with great activity among the leaves. Its song was a feeble screep, three or four times repeated.

. This species is four inches and three quarters in length; the upper parts a rich yellow olive; front, cheeks and chin yellow, also the sides of the neck; breast and belly pale yellow, streaked with black or dusky; vent plain pale yellow; wings black, first and second row of coverts broadly tipt with pale yellowish white; tertials the same; the rest of the quills edged with whitish; tail black, handsomely rounded, edged with pale olive; the two exterior feathers, on each side, white on the inner vanes

* Prince Musignano in his Synopsis of the Birds of the United States, see Ann. Lyc. Nat. Hist. N. Y. considers this as the Motacilla tigrina, GMEL. Syst. I, p. 985. If this be correct the following synonymes may be quoted:-Sylvia tigrina, LATH. Ind. Orn. 11, p. 537.-VIEILL. Ois. de l'Am. Sept. pl. 94.-Ficedula Canadensis fusca, BRISS. III, p. 515, 63, t. 27, f. 4.-Id. 8vo. 1, p. 451.Le Figuier tachete de jaune, BUFF. v, p. 293.-Spotted yellow Flycatcher, Arct. Zool. 11, No. 302.-Enw. pl. 257.-LATH. Syn. iv, p. 482, 106.

from the middle to the tips, and edged on the outer side with

white; bill dark brown; legs and feet purple brown; soles yellow; eye dark hazel.

This was a male. The female I have never seen.

HEMLOCK WARBLER.

[Plate XLIV.-Fig. 3.]

THIS is another nondescript, first met with in the Great Pine swamp, Pennsylvania. From observing it almost always among the branches of the hemlock trees, I have designated it by that appellation, the markings of its plumage not affording me a peculiarity sufficient for a specific name. It is a most lively and active little bird, climbing among the twigs, and hanging like a Titmouse on the branches; but possessing all the external characters of the Warblers. It has a few low and very sweet notes, at which times it stops and repeats them for a short time, then darts about as before. It shoots after flies to a considerable distance; often begins at the lower branches, and hunts with great regularity and admirable dexterity, upwards to the top, then flies off to the next tree, at the lower branches of which it commences hunting upwards as before.

This species is five inches and a half long, and eight inches in extent; bill black above, pale below; upper parts of the plumage black, thinly streaked with yellow olive; head above yellow, dotted with black; line from the nostril over the eye, sides of the neck and whole breast rich yellow; belly paler, streaked with dusky; round the breast some small streaks of blackish; wing black, the greater coverts and next superior row broadly tipt with white, forming two broad bars across the wing; primaries edged with olive, tertials with white; tail coverts black, tipt with olive; tail slightly forked, black, and edged with olive; the three exterior feathers altogether white on their inner vanes; legs and feet dirty yellow; eye dark hazel; a few bristles at the mouth; bill not notched.

This was a male. Of the female I can at present give no account.

VOL. II.-3 D

SPECIES 36. SYLVIA MARITIMA.

CAPE-MAY WARBLER.

[Plate LIV.-Fig. 3, Male.]

THIS new and beautiful little species was discovered in a maple swamp, in Cape May county, not far from the coast, by Mr. George Ord of this city, who accompanied me on a shooting excursion to that quarter in the month of May last. Through the zeal and activity of this gentleman I succeeded in procuring many rare and elegant birds among the sea islands and extensive salt marshes that border that part of the Atlantic; and much interesting information relative to their nests, eggs, and particular habits. I have also at various times been favoured with specimens of other birds from the same friend, for all which I return my greateful acknowledgments.

The same swamp that furnished us with this elegant little stranger, and indeed several miles around it, were ransacked by us both, for another specimen of the same; but without success. Fortunately it proved to be a male, and being in excellent plumage, enabled me to preserve a faithful portrait of the original.

Whether this be a summer resident in the lower parts of New Jersey, or merely a transient passenger to a more northern climate, I cannot with certainty determine. The spring had been remarkably cold, with long and violent north-east storms, and many winter birds, as well as passengers from the south, still lingered in the woods as late as the twentieth of May, gleaning, in small companies, among the opening buds and infant leaves, and skipping nimbly from twig to twig, which was the case with the bird now before us when it was first observed. Of its notes, or particular history, I am equally uniformed.

The length of this species is five inches and a half, extent eight and a half; bill and legs black; whole upper part of the head deep black; line from the nostril over the eye, chin and sides of the neck rich yellow; ear feathers orange, which also tints the back part of the yellow line over the eye; at the anterior and posterior angle of the eye is a small touch of black; hind head and whole back, rump and tail coverts yellow olive, thickly streaked with black; the upper exterior edges of several of the greater wing coverts are pure white, forming a broad bar on the wing, the next superior row being also broadly tipt with white; rest of the wing dusky, finely edged with dark olive yellow; throat and whole breast rich yellow, spreading also along the sides under the wings, handsomely marked with spots of black running in chains; belly and vent yellowish white; tail forked, dusky black, edged with yellow olive, the three exterior feathers on each side marked on their inner vanes with a spot of white. The yellow on the throat and sides of the neck reaches nearly round it, and is very bright.